7 Must-Read Books for Communicators

Sure, the PR landscape has been altered by the expanding power and reach of digital platforms, with PR pros now thinking of messaging points in 140-character increments. But that doesn't mean communicators should miss out on reading old-school full-length books related to the field—after all, most books are now available on an iPad.

The latest PR book to hit the market (due in December), Edelman and the Rise of Public Relations, by Franz Wisner, tells the story of the firm's origins and its place in shaping modern public relations, reports the Chicago Tribune. Richard Edelman, president and CEO of the world’s largest public relations firm—with 66 offices and 4,500 employees worldwide—is read-worthy for his extensive experience in communications and reputation management.

Here are six more recommended books for communicators (one of which reaches back to the Great Depression), selected based on popularity and user reviews on Amazon:

How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie.

Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts That Work—And Why Your Company Needs Them, by Peter Shankman.

The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, by the Associated Press: Less of a page-turner, but a must-have nonetheless.

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Die and Others Survive, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.

Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust: by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith.

In this 5th volume of PR News’ Book of Employee Communications, our authors cover more than 45 articles on crisis communications, social media policies, human resources collaboration, brand evangelism and more.